The Monthly Scientific Journal of Bagh-e Nazar

Silent Epic: Analysis of the Visual Structure of the Tile Painting of the Water Bearer of Karbala Based on Gestalt Principles

https://doi.org/10.22034/bagh.2025.478157.5667
Volume 21, Issue 141
March 2025
Pages 61-70
The Monthly Scientific Journal of Bagh-e Nazar

Document Type : Original Research Article

Authors

Samaneh Seraj 1
Mohsen Marasy 2

1 Ph.D. Candidate in Art Research, Faculty of Art, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran.

2 Assistant Professor in Art Research, Faculty of Art, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract
Problem statement: Abbas ibn Ali, known as the Water Bearer of Karbala, is one of the central figures in the Karbala event, inspiring numerous artists, especially muralists. One example is the tile painting in the shrine of Taj al-Din Gharib, created by Haj Baqir Jahanmiri. According to Gestalt theory, the human mind tends to categorize and organize visual elements during visual perception, such that the organized whole differs from the individual components. In Gestalt principles, the critical aspect of visual perception is understanding the relationships that lead to meaningful combinations. Accordingly, this tile painting represents structural changes in the visual narrative of the Karbala event during the Constitutional Era. The question of this research is How is the visual structure of the tile painting of the Water Bearer of Karbala organized based on Gestalt principles of visual perception?
Research objective: To identify the visual perception features in the tile painting of the Water Bearer of Karbala in the Taj al-Din Gharib shrine.
Research method: The research employed genre analysis and documentary methods for data collection.
Conclusion: The findings indicate that after applying the seven Gestalt principles to the mentioned tile painting, strong Prägnanz was identified in the principles of similarity, proximity, continuity, closure or completeness, and common fate, aligned with Itten’s seven contrasts. Employing each of these principles facilitated a planned visual perception process. The presence of visual relationships, as emphasized by Gestalt theorists, enhanced the organization of the painting’s elements and simplified the audience’s understanding of the artwork.

Keywords

Tile Painting
Water Bearer of Karbala
Taj al-Din Gharib Shrine
Gestalt Theory
Visual Perception
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